I am thinking of buying a classic Italian frame and building it up with a modern full Italian build. Campag, Cinelli, you know what I am about. It will be expensive but give me a lot of pleasure to restore the frame and build it up. Or should I just buy this?

With something like this it's not really about having the bike. The journey is the thing. The endless fussing over every last detail of the build. Hunting for just the right this and that is half the fun.

Building a bike is an act of self expression. Buying a bike is an act of crass consumerism (although admittedly fun!).

With something like this it's not really about having the bike. The journey is the thing. The endless fussing over every last detail of the build. Hunting for just the right this and that is half the fun.

Building a bike is an act of self expression. Buying a bike is an act of crass consumerism (although admittedly fun!).

+1 to this.Especially the frame, which you got of that guy with tons of classic old stuff in his shed and didn't want anything as "modern" as a mid 80s Italian frame. And those gum hoods that you swapped the touring pedals for, you got a good swap with that one. Don't forget the quick release, where you bought the whole bike just to get them and then sold the rest of the bike on the forums.

When you know where every part came from and what you paid for it, and when you know the name of the guy who made your frame and the name of the woman who painted it - better still when you've met them....that's what it's all about.

Build it yourself. You sound like you've already decided in your post....

The only exception would be if you're required to have an older bike for racing/club purposes, and can't wait 12 months for the bike to materialise. In which case, you would need to buy for time constraint. You didn't mention that in your post, so there is your answer.

Xplora wrote:Build it yourself. You sound like you've already decided in your post....

The only exception would be if you're required to have an older bike for racing/club purposes, and can't wait 12 months for the bike to materialise. In which case, you would need to buy for time constraint. You didn't mention that in your post, so there is your answer.

Got heaps of time. I have a carbon Avanti for racing (masters) and have built up 5 other bikes but I want this one to be a long term project and as spot on as I can get it and completely Italian. I will wait 'till after the holidays and start casting around for the frame then away I go!